External funding for education projects
Do you have an idea for developing our education? For example, new courses or programmes in topical thematic areas, novel pedagogical approaches, collaborations and partnerships, or utilizing the latest digital tools in teaching? Here you will find resources and assistance for applying for external funding for educational projects.
What is external funding?
External funding refers to financial support that is applied from sources outside of the institution itself. Funding is typically applied with a grant proposal which is a thorough description of the project idea in light of the funder's priorities. On these pages, you will find information about different funding possibilities for education projects, the latest calls for projects that are relevant for UiA, as well as about UiA's support services, routines, and contact persons for grant proposal development.
For external funding for research projects - please see research support
Relevant funding sources
Erasmus+
Erasmus+ is the EU's funding programme for education, training, youth and sport. Many have heard of Erasmus+ programme in the context of student and staff exchanges, and support for mobility activities forms the programme's Key Action 1. However, the programme is not only about mobility: Key Action 2 includes various types of project funding for development, innovation and collaboration activities. The programme also includes support to policy development and coordination (Key Action 3), and a specific tool for EU studies (Jean Monnet Actions).
The ongoing Erasmus+ programme period (2021-2027) has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion, making it the world's largest funding programme for education collaboration and development. From Erasmus+, one can apply support for large development and collaboration projects such as Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's (with roughly 67M NOK per project), or for smaller collaboration projects with 1-5M NOK in project budget. Most of Erasmus+ calls for projects are coordinated by European Agency for Education and Culture (EACEA), although coordination of some smaller calls are delegated to national agencies. HK-dir (see below) is the Norwegian national agency and contact point for Erasmus+.
National directorates
Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) administers several funding programmes with both national and international focus. Most HK-dir's funding programmes supporting quality and internationalization were terminated in 2023-2024. Therefore, there are no further calls expected in programmes such as NORPART, Norwegian Centres for Excellence in Education (SFU) or student-active learning. The remaining funding programmes support internationalization and mobility, and competence development of adult learners (life-long learning).
A number of other Norwegian directorates such as Directorate for Education and training, Directorate of Health, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, and Directorate for Children, Youth and Family affairs also frequently announce calls for education projects.
Other funding sources
In addition to EACEA and HK-dir, there are a number of regionally or thematically targeted funding programmes and agencies supporting education projects. International funding programmes include NordPlus, which supports education collaboration and development in the Nordic and Baltic countries.
Questions and help
If you have an idea but don't know which funding to go for, we are happy to help! Send an e-mail to Maria Ranta with a short description of your idea, and she will come back to you with suggestions for relevant funding programmes and calls.
- maria.k.ranta@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 19 85
Contact persons for education projects
- cathrine.bogetvedt@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 23 80
- tonje.klokstad@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 19 04
- jannik.s.timenes@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 16 20
- marthe.l.andersen@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 37 23 31 84
- andrea.tomine.breilid@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 27 54
- ottar.michaelsen@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 10 65
- helga.lid@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 37 23 31 15
- astrid.m.gilje@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 20 18
- sissel.gjennestad@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 37 23 31 71
- clare.jortveit@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 24 22
- maria.k.ranta@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 19 85